Reference point selection for otdoa in non-terrestrial networks

Abstract

This disclosure relates to "Reference Point Selection for OTDOA in Non-Land Networks." A positioning server is configured to: determine a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for a user equipment, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; select a subset of the set of anchor points based on these types of anchor points; select one anchor point from the subset of anchor points as a reference anchor point based on the expected quality of a positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission received from an anchor point; transmit the PRS configuration of each of these anchor points to the UE and indicate the reference anchor point to the UE; and instruct each of these anchor points to transmit a corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration.

Description

[0001] Priority claims / incorporation by reference

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 260,864, filed September 2, 2021, entitled “Reference Point Selection for OTDOA in a Non-Terrestrial Network,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] User equipment (UE) can establish connections with at least one of several different networks or network types (e.g., a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) operating a 5G New Radio (NR) Radio Access Network (RAN)). Observed Time Distance of Arrival (OTDOA) is a multipoint positioning technique in which the UE receives a Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) from each of several anchor points (e.g., network cells). The UE determines the precise offset between the times of arrival (ToA) of the PRS to generate a set of Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) values ​​from which the UE's location can be estimated.

[0004] Current OTDOA methods assume the anchor point is stationary. Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) involve networks that utilize non-terrestrial components (e.g., one or more satellites) to provide UEs with access to the PLMN. If a non-terrestrial component is chosen as the anchor point for OTDOA location estimation, the assumption that the anchor point is stationary may no longer be valid, potentially leading to inaccuracies in existing methods used for location estimation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments relate to a positioning server configured to perform operations. These operations include: determining a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for a user equipment, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; selecting a subset of the set of anchor points based on these types of anchor points; selecting one anchor point from the subset of anchor points as a reference anchor point based on the expected quality of a positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission received from an anchor point; transmitting the PRS configuration of each of these anchor points to the UE and indicating the reference anchor point to the UE, and instructing each of these anchor points to transmit a corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration.

[0006] Other exemplary embodiments relate to a positioning server configured to perform operations. These operations include: determining a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for a user equipment, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; selecting an anchor point from the set of anchor points as a reference anchor point, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as a non-land anchor point; transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration for each of these anchor points to the UE and indicating the reference anchor point to the UE, wherein the indicated reference anchor point is associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE is to perform a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement; and instructing each of these anchor points to transmit a corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 Exemplary network arrangements according to various exemplary implementations are shown.

[0008] Figure 2 An exemplary non-terrestrial network (NTN) architecture according to various exemplary implementations is shown.

[0009] Figure 3 Exemplary system arrangements according to various exemplary embodiments are shown, including those configured for OTDOA functionality. Figure 1 The UE has a network connection to a network cell and is able to receive location signals from multiple other network cells.

[0010] Figure 4 Exemplary user equipment (UE) according to various exemplary embodiments are shown.

[0011] Figure 5 An exemplary base station according to various exemplary embodiments is shown.

[0012] Figure 6a Exemplary arrangements according to various exemplary embodiments are shown, which include satellites that are configured as anchor points for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE.

[0013] Figure 6b An exemplary arrangement according to various exemplary embodiments is shown, which includes a satellite as a reference anchor point configured for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE.

[0014] Figure 6c An exemplary arrangement according to various exemplary embodiments is shown, which includes a geostationary satellite as a reference anchor point configured for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE.

[0015] Figure 6dExemplary arrangements according to various exemplary embodiments are shown, which include non-geostationary satellites configured as reference anchor points for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE.

[0016] Figure 7 Methods for performing OTDOA positioning using one or more non-land anchor points are illustrated according to various exemplary embodiments described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The exemplary embodiments can be further understood with reference to the following description and related figures, wherein similar elements have the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments describe apparatus, systems, and methods for performing an observed time-distance-to-arrival (OTDOA) positioning method to estimate the location of user equipment (UE) deployed in a network including non-terrestrial components (e.g., satellites), wherein one or more anchor points used in the OTDOA location estimation are non-stationary.

[0018] According to some aspects of this disclosure, criteria are defined for selecting a reference anchor point to be used in OTDOA positioning estimation when one or more of the anchor points to be used are non-stationary. For example, the reference anchor point may be selected based on the anchor point type (e.g., land, non-land, geostationary, non-geostationary) and / or the expected optimal quality of the signal received from the anchor point. In some embodiments, the positioning server selects the reference anchor point, while in other embodiments, the UE selects the reference anchor point.

[0019] In some aspects, timestamps are used to associate the time when the reference anchor transmits the PRS measured by the UE with the RSTD measurement generated by the UE. In this way, when the PRS is transmitted by the anchor or received at the UE, the location server can use the location of the reference anchor to accurately calculate the UE's location.

[0020] Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to User Equipment (UE). However, reference to the UE is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments can be used with any electronic component capable of establishing a connection to a network and configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware for exchanging information and data with the network. Therefore, the UE described herein is used to represent any suitable electronic component. Exemplary embodiments are also described with reference to 5G New Radio (NR) networks. However, reference to 5G NR networks is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments can be utilized with any network capable of establishing a connection to the UE and exchanging information and data with the UE. For example, the OTDOA positioning method has been implemented in Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks and has been extended to 5G New Radio (NR) networks.

[0021] The exemplary aspect is described with reference to a 5G New Radio (NR) network and a Next-Generation Node B (gNB) as the base station. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a Next-Generation Node B (gNB) configurable with multiple Transmission Reference Points (TRPs). A TRP generally refers to a collection of components configured to transmit and / or receive beams, which may be deployed locally at the gNB or deployed at various different locations and connected to the gNB via a backhaul connection. Those skilled in the art will understand that TRPs are configured to adapt to a variety of different conditions and deployment scenarios. The TRPs described herein can represent any type of network component configured to transmit and / or receive beams (e.g., beamforming positioning reference signals (PRS)).

[0022] OTDOA is a downlink (DL) positioning procedure in which the User Equipment (UE) receives Positioning Reference Signals (PRS) from at least three network cells or TRPs and determines the Time of Arrival (TOA) for each PRS. A first cell is selected as the reference cell (reference anchor point), and the time difference between the TOA of the PRS from the first cell and the TOA of the PRS from the remaining cells (adjacent anchor points) is calculated. The relative time difference between the PRS from the reference cell and the PRS from one of the adjacent cells is a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement for that cell. OTDOA requires strict time synchronization to transmit the PRS from the corresponding anchor point.

[0023] Throughout this specification, the gNB may be referred to as the "serving cell." The gNB acting as the serving cell is the cell to which the UE is currently connected. For example, the UE may be in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection state with the gNB and may actively exchange data and / or control information with that cell. The gNB may also be referred to as a "location gNB," "location node," "location cell," or "anchor point." The gNB or TRP acting as a location node or anchor point is a cell that assists in locating the UE (e.g., transmitting a Location Reference Signal (PRS) to the UE to assist in locating the UE). The gNB may simultaneously act as both the serving cell and the anchor point relative to the UE, or it may only act as the anchor point for the UE.

[0024] In some scenarios, the gNB may include one or more TRPs located on a non-terrestrial component. In other scenarios, the gNB may be located on a non-terrestrial component and include TRPs located on a terrestrial component. Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to a 5G NR network integrated with a non-terrestrial network (NTN) that utilizes one or more satellites to provide the UE with access to the 5G NR radio access network (RAN). Throughout this specification, non-terrestrial components are generally described as satellites. However, it should be understood that any reference to satellites is merely exemplary, and exemplary embodiments can be applied to other types of non-terrestrial components, such as aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), etc.

[0025] Figure 1 An exemplary network arrangement 100 according to various exemplary embodiments is illustrated. The exemplary network arrangement 100 includes a UE 110. Those skilled in the art will understand that the UE 110 can be any type of electronic component configured to communicate via a network, such as a mobile phone, tablet, desktop computer, smartphone, phablet, embedded device, wearable device, Internet of Things (IoT) device, etc. It should also be understood that a practical network arrangement can include any number of UEs used by any number of users. Therefore, for illustrative purposes, only an example with a single UE 110 is provided.

[0026] UE 110 can be configured to communicate with one or more networks. In the example of network configuration 100, the network with which UE 110 can wirelessly communicate is the 5G NR Radio Access Network (RAN) 120. However, UE 110 can also communicate with other types of networks (e.g., 5G cloud RAN, Next Generation RAN (NG-RAN), LTE RAN, legacy cellular networks, WLAN, etc.), and UE 110 can also communicate with the network via a wired connection. Regarding an exemplary implementation, UE 110 can establish a connection with 5G NR RAN 120. Therefore, UE 110 may have a 5G NR chipset to communicate with NR RAN 120.

[0027] The 5G NR RAN 120 can be part of a cellular network that can be deployed by network operators (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.). The 5G NR RAN 120 may include, for example, cells or base stations (Node B, eNodeB, HeNB, eNBS, gNB, gNodeB, macrocell base station, microcell base station, small cell base station, femtocell base station, etc.) configured to send and receive communication traffic from UEs equipped with appropriate cellular chipsets.

[0028] In network deployment 100, 5G NR RAN 120 includes base stations (e.g., gNB 120A) representing gNBs that can be located in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) deployment. For example, satellite-based systems can be integrated with 5G NR RAN 120 to provide network access to UE 110.

[0029] Figure 2 An exemplary non-terrestrial network (NTN) architecture 200 according to various exemplary embodiments is shown. NTN can refer to any network that uses non-terrestrial components such as satellites, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), etc. to provide network services to user terminals.

[0030] NTN architecture 200 refers to a network arrangement that includes one or more satellites 215 integrated with a data network 205. The data network 205 can be, for example, as described above... Figure 1 The 5G NR RAN 120 is described. The NTN architecture 200 includes a gateway 210 that connects the terrestrial data network 205 to the NTN components. Figure 2 In the NTN architecture 200, gateway 210 and satellite 215 communicate via feeder link 225. However, any number of satellites 215 can communicate with any number of gateways 210 via any number of corresponding feeder links 225. For example, in some NTN deployments, some satellites can be served by several gateways simultaneously.

[0031] Satellite 215 provides network services to UE 220 via service link 230. Satellite 215 may implement a transparent payload or a regenerable payload. A transparent payload refers to an arrangement where satellite 215 receives a signal and transmits an amplified version of that signal using frequency conversion. For example, satellite 215 may receive uplink communication from UE at the service link 230 frequency and transmit an amplified version of the signal to network 205 at the feeder link 225 frequency, or it may receive downlink communication from network 205 at the feeder link 235 frequency and transmit an amplified version of the signal to UE 220 at the service link 230 frequency. A regenerable payload refers to an arrangement where satellite 215 acts as a distributed unit (DU) or base station (e.g., gNB), where the received signal is regenerated using signal processing techniques (e.g., demodulation, decoding, handover, encoding, modulation, etc.) before retransmission. Satellite 215 generates one or more beams within its service area defined by its field of view, depending on the antenna pattern and minimum elevation angle of satellite 215. The coverage area 235 of the beam is typically elliptical.

[0032] refer to Figure 1 In a regenerative payload arrangement, the gNB 120A may be located in an aerospace component (e.g., Figure 2On satellite 215). In a transparent payload arrangement, gNB 120A may be located on the ground, and satellite 215 is used to mirror the signal between gNB 120 and UE 110, as described above.

[0033] Figure 2 The examples shown are not intended to limit the exemplary implementation in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that NTNs can be integrated with 5G NR RAN and / or other networks in any of a variety of ways. For example, a typical satellite-based NTN may include a low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation comprising a series of satellites and gateways with extensive interconnectivity via ground-to-ground (G2G) links, satellite-to-satellite (S2S) links, ground-to-satellite (G2S) links, and satellite-to-ground (S2G) links. Other types of satellite-based NTNs include geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites or medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites.

[0034] Geostationary (GEO) satellites are Earth-orbiting satellites located at a specific altitude directly above the Earth's equator. GEO satellites orbit in the same direction as the Earth's rotation (i.e., from west to east), and at that altitude, they complete one orbit every 24 hours (the same length of time it takes for the Earth to rotate once on its axis). Therefore, geostationary satellites appear stationary (or nearly stationary) in the sky relative to a ground-based observer.

[0035] Different types of NTNs each have their own advantages and disadvantages and can be deployed in various scenarios, depending on the objectives to be achieved, such as broad coverage across large areas, concentrated coverage in urban environments, or along high-traffic routes. Therefore, Figure 2 The NTN architecture 200 described herein is provided for illustrative purposes only.

[0036] return Figure 1 The network deployment 100, gNB 120A may include one or more communication interfaces to exchange data and / or information with UE 110, corresponding 5G NR RAN 120, cellular core network 130, Internet 140, etc.

[0037] UE 110 can connect to 5G NR-RAN 120 via gNB 120A. Those skilled in the art will understand that any relevant procedures can be performed for UE 110 to connect to 5G NR-RAN 120. For example, as described above, 5G NR-RAN 120 can be associated with a specific cellular provider, where UE 110 and / or its user have protocol and credential information (e.g., stored on a SIM card). Upon detecting the presence of 5G NR-RAN 120, UE 110 can transmit the corresponding credential information to associate with 5G NR-RAN 120. More specifically, UE 110 can be associated with a specific cell (e.g., gNB 120A). However, as described above, the reference to 5G NR-RAN 120 is for illustrative purposes, and any suitable type of RAN can be used.

[0038] In addition to the 5G NR RAN 120, the network deployment 100 also includes a cellular core network 130, an Internet 140, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 150, and a network service backbone 160. The cellular core network 130 can be viewed as an interconnected collection of components that manage the operation and traffic of the cellular network. The cellular core network 130 also manages the traffic flowing between the cellular network and the Internet 140.

[0039] Core network 130 may include a Location Management Function (LMF) to support UE location determination, which may also be referred to as a location server. As will be further described below, in the exemplary aspects described herein, the LMF may instruct the serving cell to configure the target UE for PRS reception, provide information to multiple location gNBs to transmit PRS sets, receive RSTD measurements from the UE via the serving cell, and determine the location of the target UE based on the RSTD measurements.

[0040] IMS 150 can generally be described as an architecture for delivering multimedia services to UE 110 using the IP protocol. IMS 150 can communicate with cellular core network 130 and Internet 140 to provide multimedia services to UE 110. Network service backbone 160 communicates directly or indirectly with Internet 140 and cellular core network 130. Network service backbone 160 can generally be described as a set of components (e.g., servers, network storage deployments, etc.) that implement a set of services that can be used to extend the functionality of UE 110 to communicate with various networks.

[0041] Figure 3 An exemplary system arrangement 300 according to various exemplary embodiments is shown, which includes a UE 110 configured for OTDOA functionality, the UE having a network connection to a network cell and being able to receive positioning reference signals (PRS) from multiple additional network cells. (The last sentence appears to be incomplete and possibly refers to a different system arrangement.) Figure 1 Network layout 100 and Figure 2 The Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) architecture is described in 200. Figure 3 In some implementations, a network cell may correspond to one or more TRPs of a gNB and / or correspond to a satellite-based gNB / TRP used as an anchor point for OTDOA calculations.

[0042] Exemplary system arrangement 300 illustrates a UE 110 configured with a network connection to a 5G NR radio access network (RAN) 120 (i.e., a network connection via gNB 120A). UE 110 may also be able to operate to receive signals from gNB 120B and gNB 120C without establishing dedicated connections with these cells. However, UE 110 may establish additional network connections with and / or receive signals from other network cells. OTDOA measurements use signaling from at least three cells, but because each individual measurement has its associated level of uncertainty, more cells can be used to improve measurement accuracy.

[0043] OTDOA is a downlink (DL) positioning procedure in which the user equipment (UE) receives positioning reference signals (PRS) from at least three network cells / TRPs and determines the time of arrival (TOA) for each PRS. A first cell is selected as the reference cell (reference anchor point), and the time difference between the TOA of the first cell and the TOA of each of the remaining cells is calculated. The relative time difference between these cells is the Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement. This applies to gNBs 120A, 120B, and 120C. Figure 3 In the arrangement, gNB 120A can be selected as the reference cell, and the relative time difference between the TOA of gNB 120A and 120B and the relative time difference between the TOA of gNB 120A and gNB 120C can be the RSTD measurement used for the OTDOA procedure.

[0044] In UE-assisted OTDOA, the UE performs RSTD measurements and reports the measurements to a positioning server, which then calculates the UE's location estimate. In UE-based OTDOA, the UE performs RSTD measurements and calculates its own location estimate, which is then reported and verified by the network. Exemplary implementations are applicable to either type of OTDOA.

[0045] Figure 4 An exemplary UE 110 according to various exemplary embodiments is shown. Reference will be made to... Figure 1The network layout 100 is used to describe UE 110. UE 110 may include a processor 405, a memory layout 410, a display device 415, an input / output (I / O) device 420, a transceiver 425, and other components 430. Other components 430 may include, for example, audio input devices, audio output devices, power sources, data acquisition devices, ports for electrically connecting UE 110 to other electronic devices, etc.

[0046] Processor 405 may be configured to execute multiple engines of UE 110. For example, an engine may include OTDOA engine 435 configured to perform aspects of an OTDOA positioning method. For instance, UE 110 may receive OTDOA configuration from the network and a request to provide RSTD measurements to the network for estimating UE 110's location. UE 110 may perform RSTD measurements and report these RSTD measurements to the network. In some embodiments, which will be described in further detail below, UE 110 selects a reference anchor point to be used in the OTDOA method, regardless of the reference anchor point indicated by the network. In other embodiments, UE 110 includes a timestamp in the report indicating the time when the measurement was generated, which will be described in more detail below.

[0047] The engine described above, as an application (e.g., a program) executed by processor 405, is merely exemplary. The functionality associated with engine 435 may also be represented as a separate, integrated component of UE 110, or as a modular component coupled to UE 110, such as an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. The engine may also be embodied as a single application or multiple separate applications. Furthermore, in some UEs, the functionality described for processor 405 is split among two or more processors, such as a baseband processor and an application processor. Exemplary implementations can be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the UE.

[0048] Memory arrangement 410 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by UE 110. Display device 415 may be a hardware component configured to display data to a user, while I / O device 420 may be a hardware component enabling user input. Display device 415 and I / O device 420 may be separate components or may be integrated together (such as a touchscreen). Transceiver 425 may be a hardware component configured to establish connections with 5G NR-RAN 120, LTE-RAN (not shown), legacy RAN (not shown), WLAN (not shown), etc. Therefore, transceiver 425 may operate on multiple different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of consecutive frequencies).

[0049] Figure 5 An exemplary base station according to various exemplary embodiments is shown, such as gNB 120A. gNB 120A can represent any access node through which UE 110 establishes connections and manages network operations.

[0050] The gNB 120A may include a processor 505, a memory arrangement 510, input / output (I / O) devices 515, a transceiver 520, and other components 525. Other components 525 may include, for example, a battery, data acquisition equipment, ports for electrically connecting the base station to other electronic devices, etc.

[0051] Processor 505 may be configured to execute multiple engines of gNB 120A. For example, processor 505 of gNB 120A may execute OTDOA engine 530 for performing aspects of the OTDOA positioning method. For example, gNB 120A may configure UE 110 with OTDOA configuration and request UE 110 to provide RSTD measurements to the network for estimating the location of UE 110. In some embodiments, which will be described in further detail below, gNB 120A selects a reference anchor point for UE 110 to use in the OTDOA method. In other embodiments, gNB 120A includes a timestamp in the OTDOA configuration indicating the time when the measurement is to be generated by UE 110.

[0052] However, the reference to processor 505 is merely exemplary. Functions associated with engine 530 may also be represented as separate integrated components of gNB 120A, or as modular components coupled to gNB 120A, such as integrated circuits with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. Furthermore, in some base stations, the functions described for processor 505 are split among multiple processors (e.g., baseband processor, application processor, etc.). Exemplary implementations may be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the base station.

[0053] Memory 510 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by gNB 120A. I / O device 515 may be a hardware component or port enabling a user to interact with gNB 120A. Transceiver 520 may be a hardware component configured to exchange data with UE 110 and any other UE in system 100. Transceiver 520 may operate on a variety of different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of consecutive frequencies). Therefore, transceiver 520 may include one or more components (e.g., radio components) to enable data exchange with various networks and UEs.

[0054] In OTDOA positioning, the positioning UE estimates the ToA of the PRS based on multiple anchor points, and then derives the RSTD between each anchor point and a reference anchor point. In the RSTD calculation, one of the anchor points is the reference anchor point, and the RSTD is calculated as the ToA. 定位小区 – ToA 参考 Among them, ToA 参考 It is the reference anchor point ToA, and ToA 定位小区 It is the ToA of the anchor point other than the reference anchor point.

[0055] To perform RSTD measurements, a positioning server (e.g., LMF) may provide auxiliary information to the UE via, for example, a serving gNB. This auxiliary information includes the PRS configuration for each anchor point in the anchorage. The auxiliary information may specify the associated information of the reference cell and the PRS configuration. For example, the reference cell may be indicated by a physical cell ID or a TRP index, and PRS parameters, including PRS resources or resource sets, antenna port configuration, etc., may be provided to the UE.

[0056] The positioning server can then send a request for location information to the UE, which includes parameters such as the maximum response time, for example, the RSTD measurement period. In some exemplary embodiments, the RSTD measurement period can have a duration of any time between 1 second and two minutes. However, exemplary embodiments are not limited to any particular duration. Using conventional OTDOA, the time the UE takes to perform reference point ToA estimation during the RSTD measurement period can be based on the specific UE implementation. The UE performs the measurement using the provided auxiliary data and then reports the RSTD along with the positioning reference anchor index (e.g., cell ID or TRP index) back to the positioning server. Using this information, the positioning server can estimate the current UE location.

[0057] In existing OTDOA positioning, it is assumed that the anchor point (including the reference anchor point, such as the gNB or location site in a traditional system) is stationary. However, this assumption may not hold true in non-terrestrial network (NTN) scenarios, where non-terrestrial components (e.g., satellites, UAVs, etc.) can be in constant motion. If the reference anchor point position changes during the RSTD measurement period, it will cause problems for positioning calculations. The positioning server may not know when the UE performs a ToA measurement of the reference anchor point.

[0058] Figure 6a An exemplary arrangement 600 is shown, which includes satellites configured as anchor points for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE. As shown, the position of satellite S0 relative to the UE changes based on time. If satellite S0 moves relative to the UE, assuming the anchor point is stationary is invalid, which can cause problems when calculating the UE's position.

[0059] Based on the various exemplary embodiments described herein, the following scenarios for NTN OTDOA positioning are considered. In a first scenario, the OTDOA positioning anchor points include both terrestrial gNBs / TRPs and non-terrestrial gNBs / TRPs. In a second scenario, the OTDOA positioning anchor points include only non-terrestrial gNBs, which include geostationary satellites and non-geostationary satellites (or other types of NTN gNBs / TRPs). In a third scenario, the OTDOA positioning anchor points include only non-geostationary satellites.

[0060] According to the first exemplary embodiment, considering the first scenario discussed above, the positioning anchor points for the OTDOA positioning method used for the UE include hybrid terrestrial and non-terrestrial gNB / TRPs. For the first scenario, the following options are available for selecting the reference anchor point.

[0061] In the first option, from the location server's perspective, the location server always selects a terrestrial gNB / TRP as the positioning reference cell (reference anchor point) for the UE for OTDOA. If the reference anchor point is stationary, the accuracy of location estimation can be improved compared to a non-stationary reference anchor point.

[0062] Within a subset of the terrestrial gNB / TRP, the positioning server can select the best-quality terrestrial cell as the positioning reference cell for the UE's OTDOA. The best-quality cell may correspond to the cell with the highest expected signal quality. For example, the best-quality cell may be determined as the UE's serving cell. Alternatively, the best-quality cell may be determined as the anchor point closest to the target UE. The positioning server can determine which cell is closest based on the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) value measured by the UE and reported by the UE itself, either from the UE's serving cell to the positioning server or reported by the UE itself. Alternatively, the positioning server can determine which cell is closest based on a GIS (Geographic Information System) database.

[0063] In the second option, from the perspective of UE implementation, the UE always selects the terrestrial gNB / TRP as the positioning reference cell (reference anchor point) for OTDOA, regardless of the positioning reference cell configured by the positioning server. Within a subset of the terrestrial gNB / TRP, the UE can select the best quality terrestrial cell as the positioning reference cell for OTDOA. Similar to the first option above, the best quality cell can correspond to the cell with the highest expected signal quality. For example, the best quality cell can be determined as the UE's serving cell. Alternatively, the best quality cell can be determined as the anchor point closest to the target UE. The UE can determine which cell is closest based on the RSRP measured by the UE.

[0064] The UE can learn about the cell type of various anchor points based on OTDOA auxiliary information provided by the network, which includes parameters such as PRS configuration. The cell type (e.g., terrestrial, non-terrestrial, geostationary, non-geostationary) can be associated with the cell ID.

[0065] In the third option, from the location server's perspective, the location server can select a non-terrestrial gNB / TRP as the location reference cell. However, in addition to selecting the cell itself, the location server can also select the specific time when the UE will perform PRS measurements. This time can be indicated to the UE using a timestamp. The timestamp can be indicated relative to the corresponding PRS timing information, such as the PRS measurement timing, or it can be indicated as an absolute time or a slot / symbol index.

[0066] Figure 6b An exemplary arrangement 605 is shown, which includes a satellite configured as a reference anchor point for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE. As shown, the position of satellite S0 relative to the UE changes based on time. Therefore, the configuration of the reference anchor point further includes a timestamp. In this example, the timestamp corresponds to time T1. Using the relevant timestamp, the satellite's position can be determined at the time of PRS transmission, and the UE's position at or approximately at this time can be determined.

[0067] Similar to the above, the positioning server can select the best quality NTN satellite as the positioning reference cell for OTDOA. The best quality cell may be the UE's serving satellite or the satellite closest to the target UE. The determination of the closest satellite may be based on the RSRP measured by the UE.

[0068] In the fourth option, from the perspective of UE implementation, the UE can select a satellite as the positioning reference cell (reference anchor point) for OTDOA, regardless of the positioning reference cell configured by the positioning server. However, when the UE reports the RSTD value to the network, the UE can additionally indicate the positioning reference cell and the specific time when the UE performed the PRS measurement. This time can be indicated as a timestamp in the report. The timestamp can be indicated relative to the corresponding PRS timing information, such as the PRS measurement timing, or it can be indicated as an absolute time or a slot / symbol index.

[0069] Similar to the above, the UE can select the best quality satellite as the positioning reference cell for OTDOA. The best quality satellite can correspond to the UE's serving satellite or the satellite closest to the UE, where the UE determines which satellite is closest based on the RSRP measured by the UE.

[0070] According to the second exemplary embodiment, considering the second scenario discussed above, the positioning anchor points for OTDOA include a mix of geostationary and non-geostationary satellites. For the second scenario, the following options are available for selecting the reference anchor point.

[0071] In the first option, from the location server's perspective, the location server can always select a geostationary NTN satellite as the positioning reference cell for the UE's OTDOA. The location server will provide the UE with the NTN satellite type. Similar to the above, the location server selects the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite as the positioning reference cell for the UE's OTDOA. For example, the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite might be the UE's serving satellite. Alternatively, the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite might be the satellite closest to the target UE. The location server can determine the nearest geostationary NTN satellite based on the RSRP measured by the UE.

[0072] Figure 6c An exemplary arrangement 610 is shown, which includes a geostationary satellite configured as a reference anchor point for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE. As shown, the position of the non-geostationary satellite S0 relative to the positioning UE changes based on time, while the position of the geostationary satellite S1 relative to the positioning UE does not change based on time. Therefore, when the geostationary satellite S1 is configured as the reference anchor point, no additional timestamp is required.

[0073] In the second option, from the perspective of UE implementation, the UE can always select a geostationary NTN satellite as the positioning reference cell for OTDOA, regardless of the positioning reference cell configured by the positioning server. The positioning server provides the UE with the NTN satellite type, and the UE can select the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite as the positioning reference cell for OTDOA. For example, the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite could be the UE's serving satellite. Alternatively, the best-quality geostationary NTN satellite could be the satellite closest to the target UE. The UE can determine the closest geostationary NTN satellite based on the measured RSRP.

[0074] According to other options similar to the third and fourth options discussed above with respect to the first exemplary embodiment, the positioning server may be configured with non-geostationary satellites, and the UE may select non-geostationary satellites, provided that the timestamps and positioning references gNB / cell / TRP / satellite ID discussed above are included in the configuration or reported by the UE.

[0075] According to the third exemplary implementation, considering the third scenario discussed above, the positioning anchor points for OTDOA only include non-geostationary satellites. For the third scenario, the third and fourth options for the first exemplary implementation can be used to select the reference anchor point. That is, from the perspective of the positioning server, a non-geostationary satellite can be configured as a reference anchor point with an associated timestamp. From the perspective of the UE implementation, a non-geostationary satellite can be selected as the reference anchor point and report the RSTD value along with the associated timestamp.

[0076] Figure 6d An exemplary arrangement 615 is shown, which includes a non-geostationary satellite configured as a reference anchor point for an OTDOA positioning method for a UE. As shown, the positions of the non-geostationary satellites S0 and S1 relative to the positioning UE change based on time. Therefore, when the non-geostationary satellite S1 is configured as the reference anchor point, an additional timestamp is required.

[0077] Figure 7 A method 700 for performing an OTDOA positioning method using one or more non-land anchor points is shown according to various exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0078] In 705, the UE reports its OTDOA-related capabilities to the network, for example, via the serving gNB. In 710, the UE receives auxiliary information from the network's positioning server, which includes the PRS configuration of the anchor point to be measured. The PRS configuration may include the name of the reference cell to be used. In some implementations, the reference cell may have an associated "type," such as terrestrial, non-terrestrial, geostationary, non-geostationary, etc.

[0079] Reference cells can be selected by the positioning server based on criteria including anchor point type. For example, in a scenario where the PRS is configured for a mixed cell / TRP including terrestrial and non-terrestrial cells, only terrestrial cells can be considered as potential reference points. In another scenario where the PRS is configured for a mixed cell system including geostationary non-terrestrial cells and non-geostationary non-terrestrial cells, only geostationary cells can be considered as potential reference points.

[0080] Within a subset of anchor points selected based on type criteria, a specific anchor point may be selected as a reference anchor point based on the determination of the expected optimal quality signal to be received from the anchor point.

[0081] In some implementations, the reference cell is included with its associated timestamp in the auxiliary information. Specifically, when the reference cell is a non-geostationary satellite, the positioning server configures the reference cell with a timestamp so that the time of the RSTD measurement can be known.

[0082] In optional 715, the UE determines the reference anchor point to be used for the OTDOA method, regardless of any reference anchor point indicated by the network. The criteria used to select the reference anchor point may be similar to those described above for the location server, for example, based on the type of signal and / or the expected optimal quality.

[0083] In step 720, the UE performs RSTD measurement and reports the RSTD value to the network. In some implementations, the reported RSTD value combines an indication of the reference anchor point used for the measurement with the timestamp of that reference anchor point. This information allows the location server to estimate the UE's location.

[0084] Example

[0085] In a first embodiment, a positioning server is configured to perform operations including: determining a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for a user equipment, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; selecting an anchor point from the set of anchor points as a reference anchor point, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as a non-land anchor point; transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration for each of these anchor points to the UE and indicating the reference anchor point to the UE, wherein the indicated reference anchor point is associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE performs a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement and instructing each of these anchor points to transmit a corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration.

[0086] In the second embodiment, the positioning server according to the first embodiment is used, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the anchor point closest to the UE.

[0087] In the third embodiment, the positioning server according to the second embodiment is used, wherein the anchor point closest to the UE is determined based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement reported by the UE or the UE's serving cell.

[0088] In the fourth embodiment, the positioning server according to the first embodiment includes an absolute time, a time slot index, or a symbolic index.

[0089] In the fifth embodiment, the location server according to the first embodiment is used, wherein the timestamp includes the PRS timing.

[0090] In a sixth embodiment, the positioning server according to the first embodiment further includes: receiving RSTD values ​​determined by the UE in a report, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point used in determining these RSTD values.

[0091] In the seventh embodiment, the location server according to the sixth embodiment further includes determining the location of the UE based on the reported RSTD value, the indication of the reference anchor point, and the timestamp.

[0092] In the eighth embodiment, the positioning server according to the first embodiment is provided to the UE for the reference anchor point.

[0093] In a ninth embodiment, a base station includes: a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE); and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to perform operations including: transmitting to the UE a location reference signal (PRS) configuration for each anchor point in a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for the UE; and instructing the UE to a reference anchor point associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE intends to perform a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as a non-land anchor point.

[0094] In the tenth embodiment, the base station according to the ninth embodiment is provided, wherein the timestamp includes absolute time, time slot index, or symbol index.

[0095] In the eleventh embodiment, the base station according to the ninth embodiment is provided, wherein the timestamp includes the PRS timing.

[0096] In the twelfth embodiment, the base station according to the ninth embodiment, wherein these operations further include: receiving RSTD values ​​determined by the UE in a report, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point used in determining these RSTD values.

[0097] In the thirteenth embodiment, the base station according to the twelfth embodiment, wherein these operations further include: determining the location of the UE based on the reported RSTD value, the indication of the reference anchor point, and the timestamp.

[0098] In a fourteenth embodiment, a processor of a user equipment (UE) is configured to perform operations including: receiving from a base station a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration for each anchor point in a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for the UE and an indication of a reference anchor point associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE is to perform a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as a non-land anchor point; and determining an RSTD value based on the PRS configuration of the reference anchor point and the corresponding timestamp.

[0099] In the fifteenth embodiment, the processor according to the fourteenth embodiment is wherein the timestamp includes an absolute time, a slot index, or a symbol index.

[0100] In the sixteenth embodiment, the processor according to the fourteenth embodiment is provided, wherein the timestamp includes the PRS timing.

[0101] In the seventeenth embodiment, the processor according to the fourteenth embodiment further includes: reporting the determined RSTD values ​​to the base station, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point used in determining these RSTD values.

[0102] In an eighteenth embodiment, a processor of a user equipment (UE) is configured to perform operations including: receiving from a base station a location reference signal (PRS) configuration for each anchor point in a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for the UE, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; selecting a subset of the set of anchor points based on these types of anchor points; selecting one anchor point from the subset of anchor points as a reference anchor point based on the expected quality of the location reference signal (PRS) transmission received from an anchor point; and determining an RSTD value based on the PRS configuration.

[0103] In the nineteenth embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is used, wherein the set of anchor points includes one or more land anchor points and one or more non-land anchor points, wherein a subset of the anchor points is selected as only these land anchor points.

[0104] In the twentieth embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is provided, wherein the set of anchor points includes one or more geostationary non-land anchor points and one or more non-geostationary non-land anchor points, wherein a subset of the anchor points is selected as only these geostationary non-land anchor points.

[0105] In the twenty-first embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is used, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the serving cell of the UE.

[0106] In the twenty-second embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is used, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the anchor point closest to the UE.

[0107] In the twenty-third embodiment, according to the processor of the twenty-second embodiment, the anchor point closest to the UE is determined based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement reported by the UE or by the serving cell of the UE.

[0108] In the 24th embodiment, the processor according to the 18th embodiment further includes transmitting the determined RSTD values ​​in a report, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point used in determining these RSTD values.

[0109] In the twenty-fifth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-fourth embodiment is used, wherein the indicated reference anchor point is associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE performs these RSTD measurements.

[0110] In the twenty-sixth embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-fifth embodiment is wherein the timestamp includes an absolute time, a slot index, or a symbol index.

[0111] In the twenty-seventh embodiment, the processor according to the twenty-fifth embodiment is used, wherein the timestamp includes the PRS timing.

[0112] In the twenty-eighth embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is provided, wherein the set of anchor points includes only non-geostationary non-land anchor points, wherein a subset of the anchor points is selected as these non-geostationary non-land anchor points.

[0113] In the twenty-ninth embodiment, the processor according to the eighteenth embodiment is used, wherein the positioning method observes the time difference of arrival (OTDOA).

[0114] In a thirtieth embodiment, a processor of a user equipment (UE) is configured to perform operations including: receiving from a base station a location reference signal (PRS) configuration for each anchor point in a set of anchor points to be used in a positioning method for the UE, wherein each of these anchor points is associated with an anchor point type including land type or non-land type; selecting an anchor point from the set of anchor points as a reference anchor point based on the expected quality of the location reference signal (PRS) transmitted from the anchor point, wherein the reference anchor point is non-land; determining an RSTD value based on the PRS configuration; and transmitting the determined RSTD value in a report, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point associated with a corresponding timestamp used in the determination of these RSTD values, at which the UE performs the RSTD measurement.

[0115] In the thirty-first embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment is used, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the serving cell of the UE.

[0116] In the thirty-second embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment is used, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the anchor point closest to the UE.

[0117] In the thirty-third embodiment, according to the processor of the thirty-second embodiment, the anchor point closest to the UE is determined based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement reported by the UE or by the serving cell of the UE.

[0118] In the thirty-fourth embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment is wherein the timestamp includes an absolute time, a slot index, or a symbol index.

[0119] In the thirty-fifth embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment includes the PRS timing.

[0120] In the thirty-sixth embodiment, the processor according to the thirty-first embodiment is used, wherein the positioning method is based on observing time difference.

[0121] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exemplary embodiments described above can be implemented with any suitable software or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Exemplary hardware platforms for implementing the exemplary embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, and mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS, Android, etc. Exemplary embodiments of the methods described above may be embodied as programs comprising lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, at compile time, can be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0122] Although this patent application describes various combinations of various embodiments, each with different features, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of an embodiment can be combined with features of other embodiments or features that are not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation or function of the device of the disclosed embodiment of the invention in any manner not explicitly denied.

[0123] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and practices that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0124] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to this disclosure without departing from its spirit or scope. Therefore, this disclosure is intended to cover all modifications and variations thereof, provided that such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus including processing circuitry coupled to a memory, the processing circuitry being configured to perform operations including: A set of anchor points to be used in the positioning method for user equipment (UE) is determined, the set of anchor points including one or more land-type anchor points and one or more non-land-type anchor points; Select a subset of anchor points from the set of anchor points, wherein the subset of anchor points consists of anchor points of the same type; An anchor point is selected from the subset of anchor points as a reference anchor point based on the expected quality of the positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission associated with each anchor point in the subset of anchor points. Generate a PRS configuration for each of the anchor points to be transmitted to the UE and indicate the reference anchor point to the UE; as well as Each of the anchor points is instructed to transmit the corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subset of anchor points is selected as land anchor points only.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the serving cell of the UE.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the anchor point closest to the UE.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the anchor point closest to the UE is determined based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement reported by the UE or by the serving cell of the UE.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the anchor point closest to the UE is determined based on a Geographic Information System (GIS) database and the approximate current location of the UE.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicated reference anchor point is associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE performs a Received Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the timestamp comprises absolute time, time slot index, or symbol index.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the timestamp includes a PRS timing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises: The report receives an RSTD value determined by the UE, wherein the report also includes an indication of the reference anchor point used in determining the RSTD value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises: The location of the UE is determined based on the reported RSTD value and the indication of the reference anchor point.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the associated anchor point type is provided to the UE for the reference anchor point.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning method is to observe the Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA).

14. An apparatus including processing circuitry coupled to a memory, the processing circuitry being configured to perform operations including: A set of anchor points to be used in the positioning method for user equipment (UE) is determined, the set of anchor points including one or more land-type anchor points and one or more non-land-type anchor points; Select a subset of anchor points from the set of anchor points, wherein the subset of anchor points consists of anchor points of the same type; An anchor point is selected from a subset of the anchor points as a reference anchor point, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as a non-land anchor point; A Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configuration is generated for each of the anchor points to be transmitted to the UE, and the reference anchor point is indicated to the UE, wherein the indicated reference anchor point is associated with a corresponding timestamp at which the UE is to perform a Received Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement. as well as Each of the anchor points is instructed to transmit the corresponding PRS according to the PRS configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reference anchor point is selected based on the expected quality of the PRS transmission received from the anchor point.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the serving cell of the UE.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reference anchor point is selected as the anchor point closest to the UE.

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